Reading 39/341, Numbers 5-7

[A] The process for when a husband is jealous of his wife but has no proof is rather interesting. The ceremony is long, but the long and short of it is that he is not allowed to act on it. The punishment or not is handed over to the Lord.
[B] The Nazarite was a person who made a vow to God, “If you do this for me, I will be a Nazarite.” In a month we will see Samson who was a life-long Nazarite.
[C] The thing about the sons of Kohath, who carry the most holy things, not getting any wagons, comes back later (500 years later), when King David puts the Ark of the Covenant on a wagon, and there are consequences.
[D] This reading is significantly longer than usual. This is because the first instance of the 12 days of Christmas plays out in the second half. Each day’s offering is exactly the same, and all the math checks out in the total. What is most significant about this is that every tribe, from the largest to the smallest, offers the same thing. They all have an equal share in the Lord.

...Numbers...

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, and everyone who has a bodily discharge, and whoever is unclean by touching the dead. Both male and female shall you put out, outside of the camp you shall put them, so that they do not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell." The children of Israel did so, and put them out outside of the camp; as the Lord told Moses, so the children of Israel did.

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the children of Israel, ‘When a man or woman commits any sin that men commit, so as to trespass against the Lord, and that soul is guilty; then they shall confess their sin which they have done, and they shall make restitution for their guilt in full, and add to it the fifth part of it, and give it to the one to whom they have been guilty. But if that one has no kinsman to whom restitution may be made for the guilt, the restitution for guilt which is made to the Lord shall be the priest's, besides the ram of the atonement, by which atonement shall be made for him. Every gift offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they present to the priest, shall be his. Every man's holy things shall be his, whatever any man gives the priest, it shall be his.

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, If any man's wife goes astray, and is unfaithful to him, and a man lies with her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and is kept secret, but she is defiled, and there is no witness against her, and she is not taken in the act, and the spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife, and she is defiled, or if the spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife, and she is not defiled, then the man shall bring his wife to the priest, and shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal. He shall pour no oil on it, nor put frankincense on it, for it is a grain offering of jealousy, a grain offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to memory. The priest shall bring her near, and set her before the Lord, and the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water. The priest shall set the woman before the Lord, and let the hair of the woman's head go loose, and put the grain offering of memorial in her hands, which is the grain offering of jealousy. The priest shall have in his hand the water of bitterness that brings a curse. The priest shall cause her to swear, and shall tell the woman, 'If no man has lain with you, and if you have not gone aside to uncleanness, being under your husband, be free from this water of bitterness that brings a curse. But if you have gone astray, being under your husband, and if you are defiled, and some man has lain with you besides your husband,' then the priest shall cause the woman to swear with the oath of cursing, and the priest shall tell the woman, 'the Lord make you a curse and an oath among your people, when the Lord allows your thigh to fall away, and your body to swell, and this water that brings a curse will go into your bowels, and make your body swell, and your thigh fall away.' The woman shall say, 'Amen, Amen.' "The priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out into the water of bitterness. He shall make the woman drink the water of bitterness that causes the curse, and the water that causes the curse shall enter into her and become bitter. The priest shall take the grain offering of jealousy out of the woman's hand, and shall wave the grain offering before the Lord, and bring it to the altar. The priest shall take a handful of the grain offering, as the memorial of it, and burn it on the altar, and afterward shall make the woman drink the water. When he has made her drink the water, then it shall happen, if she is defiled, and has committed a trespass against her husband, that the water that causes the curse will enter into her and become bitter, and her body will swell, and her thigh will fall away, and the woman will be a curse among her people. If the woman is not defiled, but is clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive children. This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, being under her husband, goes astray, and is defiled; or when the spirit of jealousy comes on a man, and he is jealous of his wife; then he shall set the woman before the Lord, and the priest shall execute on her all this law. The man shall be free from iniquity, and that woman shall bear her iniquity.

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, When either man or woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate themself to the Lord, they shall separate themself from wine and strong drink. They shall drink no vinegar of wine or vinegar of fermented drink, nor shall they drink any juice of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or dried. All the days of their separation they shall eat nothing that is made of the grapevine, from the seeds to the skins. All the days of their vow of separation let no razor come on their head, until the days are fulfilled, in which they separate themself to the Lord. They shall be holy. They shall let the locks of the hair of their head grow long. All the days that they separate themself to the Lord they shall not go near a dead body. They shall not make themself unclean for their father, or for their mother, for their brother, or for their sister, if they die, because their separation to God is on their head. All the days of their separation they are holy to the Lord. If any man dies very suddenly beside them, and they defile the head of their separation; then they shall shave their head in the day of their cleansing. On the seventh day they shall shave it. On the eighth day they shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons to the priest, to the entrance to the tent of meeting. The priest shall offer one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make atonement for them, because they sinned by reason of the dead, and shall make their head holy that same day. They shall separate to the Lord during the days of their separation, and shall bring a male lamb a year old for a guilt offering, but the former days shall be void, because their separation was defiled.

This is the law of the Nazirite, when the days of their separation are fulfilled, they shall be brought to the entrance to the tent of meeting, and they shall offer their offering to the Lord, one male lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings, and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and their grain offering, and their drink offerings. The priest shall present them before the Lord, and shall offer their sin offering, and their burnt offering. They shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings to the Lord, with the basket of unleavened bread. The priest shall offer also the grain offering, and the drink offering. The Nazirite shall shave the head of their separation at the entrance to the tent of meeting, and shall take the hair of the head of their separation, and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest shall take the boiled shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them in the hands of the Nazirite, after they have shaved the head of their separation, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord. This is holy for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is offered. After that the Nazirite may drink wine. This is the law of the Nazirite who vows, and of their offering to the Lord for their separation, besides what else they are able to afford. According to their vow which they vow, so they must do above and beyond the law of their separation.

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, 'This is how you shall bless the children of Israel.' You shall tell them, 'The Lord bless you, and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his face toward you, and give you peace.' So they shall put my name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them."

It happened on the day that Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, and had anointed it and sanctified it, with all its furniture, and the altar with all its vessels, and had anointed and sanctified them; that the princes of Israel, the heads of their fathers' houses, made offerings. These were the princes of the tribes. These are the ones who were over those who were numbered, and they brought their offering before the Lord, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for every two of the princes, and for each one an ox, and they presented them before the tabernacle. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Accept these from them, that they may be used in doing the service of the tent of meeting, and you shall give them to the Levites, to every man according to his service." Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites. He gave two wagons and four oxen to the sons of Gershon, according to their service, and he gave four wagons and eight oxen to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the sanctuary belonged to them, and they carried it on their shoulders.

The princes gave offerings for the dedication of the altar on the day that it was anointed, the princes gave their offerings before the altar. The Lord said to Moses, "They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the dedication of the altar."

He who offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah, and his offering was: one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering, and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

On the second day Nethanel the son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, gave his offering. He offered for his offering: one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering, and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nethanel the son of Zuar.

On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the children of Zebulun gave his offering: one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering, and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.

On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of the children of Reuben gave his offering: one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering, and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.

On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, prince of the children of Simeon gave his offering: one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering, and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

On the sixth day, Eliasaph the son of Deuel, prince of the children of Gad gave his offering: one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering, and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim gave his offering: one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering, and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.

On the eighth day Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, prince of the children of Manasseh gave his offering: one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering, and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin gave his offering: one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering, and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.

On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, prince of the children of Dan gave his offering: one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering, and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ochran, prince of the children of Asher gave his offering: one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering, and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ochran.

On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, prince of the children of Naphtali gave his offering: one silver platter, the weight of which was one hundred thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering; one golden ladle of ten shekels, full of incense; one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering; one male goat for a sin offering, and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.

This was the dedication of the altar, on the day when it was anointed, by the princes of Israel: twelve silver platters, twelve silver bowls, twelve golden ladles, each silver platter weighing one hundred thirty shekels, and each bowl seventy, all the silver of the vessels two thousand four hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; the twelve golden ladles, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, after the shekel of the sanctuary, all the gold of the ladles weighed one hundred twenty shekels; all the oxen for the burnt offering were twelve bulls, the rams twelve, the male lambs a year old twelve, and their grain offering, and the male goats for a sin offering twelve; and all the oxen for the sacrifice of peace offerings twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, the male lambs a year old sixty. This was the dedication of the altar, after it was anointed.

When Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard his voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the Ark of the Covenant, from between the two cherubim, and he spoke to him.